26 July, 2021
The newly formed Hopkinton Elementary School Building Committee - 2 (ESBC-2) met for the first time on Thursday, July 15, at the Elmwood School.
The newly formed committee’s documented mission is “To facilitate the development of a proposed solution to the operational and educational constraints of Elmwood School that will be supported by the voters of Hopkinton, as well as the MSBA.”
The ESBC-2 was formed by a vote at the May 18, 2021 Select Board meeting, where members were officially appointed by the Select Board after also receiving the unanimous recommendation of the Town Manager, Superintendent, and School Committee.
At their first meeting, the committee members introduced themselves and organized. Jon Graziano was elected as Chair of the Committee. Joe Markey was elected Vice Chair. The Committee was then briefed by Dr. Carol Cavanaugh, Superintendent of Hopkinton Public Schools, on the mission of the Committee, the requirements of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and the rough process that the project will follow. The Committee discussed how to maintain high levels of community engagement and input throughout the multi-year process.
“We are excited to follow in the example of the previous Elementary School Building Committee, partnering with the community and the MSBA to develop a solution that will allow Hopkinton’s educators to deliver a high level of education to our student and one which will be embraced by all members of the Hopkinton community,” commented Jon Graziano.
The Committee is next scheduled to meet on October 14 at the Elmwood School to review the current conditions of the facility. All meetings are open to the public, and input from members of the Hopkinton community is encouraged.
Who are the newly appointed Members of the Elementary School Building Committee - 2?
1. Jon Graziano (Chair) was appointed to the spot for a community member with communications, marketing and/or facilitator experience. Jon is a former member of the Hopkinton School Committee and the Marathon School Elementary School Building Committee. Jon lives in
Hopkinton with his wife Erin and three children in the school system. Jon is a Principal with the consulting firm Heidrick and Struggles. (Voting member)
2. Joe Markey (Vice-Chair) is an elected member of the Hopkinton School Committee and will serve as the primary School Committee representative to the ESBC-2. Mr. Markey was chairman of the Marathon Elementary School Building Committee and before that served as Chair of the Hopkinton Planning Board. He lives in Hopkinton with his wife Bernadette and three children. (Voting member)
3. The alternate School Committee Member, Lya Batlle-Rafferty, is a non-voting member, except in the absence of the primary School Committee Member. Lya is in her first term on the School Committee and has had two children graduate from Hopkinton High School.
4. Brendan Tedstone is a member of Hopkinton’s Select Board and will serve the Elementary School Building Committee -2 in that capacity. A lifelong resident of Hopkinton, Mr. Tedstone lives in town with his wife Cristina and their children.
5. Bill Flannery, currently in his first term on the town’s Appropriation Committee, will fill the role on the Elementary School Building Committee – 2 as the member with town budget knowledge. (Voting member)
6. Mike Shepard fills the role as a community member knowledgeable in educational mission and function of facility. Mike is a former Hopkinton Selectman with extensive MSBA school building experience in Hopkinton and in Brookline. He is a qualified and practicing building inspector with a strong understanding of construction, building codes, standards and materials. He has five grandchildren in the Hopkinton school system. (Voting member)
7. Tiffany Ostrander, who works as a school administrator in a nearby district, comes to the Elementary School Building Committee as the at-large member to support the development of our school buildings and educational programming. Tiffany and her husband moved to Hopkinton in the Spring of 2012. The Ostranders will raise their three children here, with the oldest starting school in the fall of 2022. The Ostrander children will be the second generation to attend Hopkinton Public Schools. (Voting member)
8. Jagrut Jathal is a registered professional Civil Engineer (PE) in the state of Massachusetts, currently employed at CDM Smith. A resident of Hopkinton, Jagrut offers his knowledge and skills to the Elementary School Building Committee, most notably his experience with the design of geothermal energy systems for schools in Cambridge and Belmont, MA. Jagrut and his wife Surali have daughters who will transition from Marathon to Elmwood School this year. He is excited to contribute to building a top class facility for our young student community. (Voting member)
9. Administrator or Manager, Norman Khumalo, Town Manager (Non-voting member) 10. Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carol Cavanaugh (Non-voting member)
11. Local Official Responsible for Building Maintenance, Tim Persson, Director of Facilities for the Hopkinton Public Schools (Non-voting member)
12. Elmwood School Principal, Anne Carver (Non-voting member)
13. A member who is MCPPO certified, Susan Rothermich, Hopkinton Schools Director of Finance And Operations (Non-voting member)
